Improvement in vehicle-wheel hubs



J. D. BULTZ & J- L. BAKER. Vehicle-Wheel Hub.

No. 217.196. Patentedluly a 187 9.

WITNESSES: INVENTORS:

0 I 2 a 5 3w;

ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS, PHOTO LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON- D C.

UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN D. BUL'IZ AND JOSEPH L. BAKER, OF JAGKSONBOROUGEL OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN VEHICLE-WHEEL HUBS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 217,196, dated July 8,1879 application filed June 9, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN D. BULTZ and JOSEPH L. BAKER, of Jacksonborough, in the county of Butler and State of Ohio, have inventeda new and useful Improvement in Vehicle-Wheel Hubs; and we do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same.

Our invention is an improvement-in that class of wheelhubs in which thespoke-tenons are in lateral contact and form a continuouscircumferential band, being supported by and clamped between metalflanges that encircle the wooden body of the hub.

Our invention relates to the construction and combination of parts, ashereinafter de' scribed and claimed.

I11 accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure lis a perspective View, part being broken out, of awheel-hub constructedaccording to our invention. Fig. 2 is a side view of a fragment of aspoke. Fig. 3 is a detail View, showing the connection of thespoke-tenons and lugs for securing them. Fig. 4 is a centrallongitudinal section of the hubon line as 00, Fig. 1.

While due regard is had to mere bulk and weight, the object chieflyaimed at in the construction of wheel-hubs is to so secure the spokestherein that they shall be perfectly rigid or immovable. To attain thisobject we adopt the following-described construction.

Referring tothe drawings, A indicates the tenons of the several spokesof a wheel, and B B therespective fixed and detachable metal flanges,between which the spokes are clamped. The part B has a lateralcylindrical screwthreaded extension, a, around its eye, whichconstitutes a thimble or socket for the wooden portion 0 of the hub, inwhich part 0 the metallic box D is inserted. The spoke-tenons have theusual wedge shape; but their conti guous sides are cut away for abouttwo-thirds their length, so that their shoulders c are alone in contact.Kerfs or grooves d are formed in each of the contiguous sides of thetenons A immediately below such point of contact, 0. The connectionbetween the lugs and spoketenons, whereby the lateral shoulders of theformer enter the kerfs in the latter, absolutely prevents anylongitudinal movement of the spokes, since there is no appreciableshrinkage of the wood lengthwise, and the said shoulders of the lugsconsequently remain in firm contact with the lower shoulders or sides ofthe kerfs so long as the hub is intact.

Further, it will be observed that the heads of the lugs are locatedbelow or within the rim of the flange B, so that the spoke-shoulders cnot only lie in contact, but conceal the lugs from view exteriorly.Moreover, it is requisite, in order to support the folly, that thenumber of spokes in the wheel shall be as large as practicableconsistently with the strength of the hub and due limitation of its sizeand weight. Itis also desirable,for various reasons, that thespoke-shoulders shall lie in contact around the hub.

Our construction and arrangement of parts enable these objects to beattained at the same time that the spokes are held perfectly immovablelengthwise.

The spoke-tenonsAare made slightly thicker than the width of thesockets, so that when the flange B is forced home it will bear againstthe faces of the tenons, and not the edges of the lugs E.

When-the spokes shrink, the flange B may be adjusted correspondingly totake up the shrinkage. This flange is held or clamped in place by meansof a nut, F, which screws on the thimble a.

The nut is locked by the hub-band G, which is secured by screws f, thatpass through slots in the band, and also through the thimble a, Y andenter the wooden portion (3 of the hub.

Said screws not only secure the hub-band, which, in turn, acts as ajam-nut for the nut proper, F, but likewise hold the flange B (t inplace on the tapered part 0.

We do not claim, broadly, a spoke-tenon provided with kerfs, nor ahub-flange having lugs which join with and are radial to the cylindricalportion or body of the same; and we are also aware that a cylindricalscrew-nut has been employed to lock the nut which clamps the movableflange of an iron hub in place.

What we do claim is 1. In a carriage-wheel, the combination of thethimble a, screw-threaded, as specified, the

radial flange B, and T-shaped lugs E, whose heads lie within or belowthe rim of such flange, said parts being cast in one piece, thedetachable flange B and screw-nut F, and the spokes A, having thelateral kerfs cl d, to receive the heads of said lugs, and arranged withtheir shoulders c in contact around the hub, all as shown and described.

2. The combination of the screws f and the slotted hub-band G with thenut F, the thimble a of flange B, and the wooden portion 0 of the hub,whereby said screws both clamp the hub-band and secure the flange inplace, as shown and described.

The above specification of our invention signed by us this 7th day ofJune, 1879.

JOHNYD. BULTZ. JOSEPH L. BAKER.

